Starter gearing



' Oct. 27, 1936. y b M. P. WHITNEY 2,059,073

- STARTER GEARING Filed March 50, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

. JTZaaMcmQ U/ 401270965:

i A ORNEY.

Oct. 27, 1936. p WH|TNEY 2,059,073

STARTER GEARING Filed March 30, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V. l 6 V I INVENTOR.

; /mmcefi/whllzey /S W g/wvv/ou ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 27, 1936 PATENT OFFIQE STARTER GEARING Maurice P. Whitney, Elmira, N. Y., assignor to Eclipse Machine Company, Elmira, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 30,

13 Claims.

The present invention relates to starter gearing and more particularly to a manually operated drive for connecting a starting motor to a member of an engine to be started, said drive being arranged to automatically disconnect itself when the engine starts.

It is an object of the present invention to provide novel starter gearing of the stated type which is reliable and efficient in operation and simple and economical in construction.

It is another object to provide such a device in which the automatic disconnection is at all times assured, sticking or looking up of the drive being prevented.

It is another object to provide such a device in which demeshing of the gearing is positively prevented until the engine has become self-operative.

It is a further object to provide such a device which will automatically disconnect in case of a false start of the engine, but will immediately resume cranking when themomentum of the false start is dissipated.

It is a further object to provide such a device which, in case of tooth abutment and consequent failure of the gearing to initially mesh, will index the pinion and cause it to enter into mesh with the engine gear prior to actuation of the starting motor. 0" It is another object to provide such a device in which the lock for preventing premature demeshing of the pinion is set by the final meshing movement of the pinion.

It is another object to provide such a device which is arranged to prevent damage to any of the parts in case of inadvertent actuation of the starting mechanism while the engine is self-operative.

It is a further object to provide such a device in which rebounding of the pinion when it is automatically thrown out of mesh is effectively prevented.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent/from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in longitudinal section of a preferred embodiment of the invention showing the parts in normal or idle position;

Fig.2 is a similar view showing the parts in operative or cranking position;

Fig. 3' is a similar view showing the parts in the positions assumed when the pinion has been automatically demeshed from the engine gear; and

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the parts in 1935, Serial No. 13,933

the positions assumed in case, during the meshing operation, a pinion tooth engages end to end with a tooth of the engine gear.

Referring first to Fig. l of the drawings, there is illustrated a starting motor I, a power shaft 2 5 driven thereby, which may be the extended armature shaft of the motor, and an actuating member in the form of athreaded sleeve 3 splined on the power shaft 2 as indicated at 4. A driving member 5 in the form of a pinion is freely jour- 1U nalled on the power shaft 2 and is slidable thereon into and out of engagement with a member of the engine to be started such as a flywheel gear, a portion of which is indicated at 6.

A barrel member I is rigidly fixed to the pinion 5 in any suitable way as indicated at 8, and extends in telescoping relation with the threaded sleeve 3. A driven clutch member 9 is rigidly mounted in the open end of the barrel 1 as by means of splines H entering slots [2 therein. The clutch member 9 is retained in the slots [2 by means of a ring 113 which is held in place by means of a split locking ring M. The clutch member 9 is provided with a shoulder 15 adapted to bear against a ring it which is splined on the barrel 1 and seats against the shoulders I! at the ends of the slots I2. A slight amount of lost motion 58 is preferably provided for the clutch member 9 between the abutments I3 and I6 therefor.

A clutch member in the form of a nut 19 is threaded on the sleeve 3 and is provided with a conical surface 2| adapted to cooperate with a corresponding surface 22 of the clutch member 9. A stop and clutch member 23 is suitably fixed on the end of the sleeve 3 as indicated at M and is provided with a conical surface 25 adapted to cooperate with a corresponding surface 26 of the clutch member 9. Clutch members 9 and I9 are normally maintained in light frictional engagement by suitable means such as a spring 21 seated in a recess in the clutch member 23 and bearing against a ring 28 which rests against a shoulder 29 of the clutch member 9, the clutch member l9 being prevented from backing away from the clutch member 9 by means of the ring i3 anchored in the barrel 1. The spring 21 also serves as an anti-drift spring to prevent the pinion from drifting over into engagement with the engine gear when the starting mechanism is idle.

Manually operable means for moving the threaded sleeve 3 longitudinally to bring the pinion into engagement with the engine gear is provided in the form of a lever 3l' pivoted to the motor frame at 32 and provided with a fork 33 having rollers 34 engaging in a shift collar 35 suitably fixed as indicated at 36 to the threaded sleeve 3. A stop ring 40 forming an abutment for clutch member I9 is preferably provided ad- J'acent the end of the threaded sleeve 3. The lever 3| is actuated by suitable means such as a starting pedal, not illustrated, through a link 31, and is returned to normal position by a spring 38. Actuation of the lever 3| to mesh the pinion 5 with the engine gear is caused to close a starting switch 39 by means of suitable linkage 4I.

Speed-controlled means for locking the barrel 1 in extended relation to the threaded sleeve 3 is provided in the form of one or more detents 42 extending radially inward from the barrel in position to engage a flange 43 on the periphery of the clutch member 23. The detents 42 are provided with radial locking surfaces 44 adapted to engage against the radial surface 45 of the shoulder 43 when the pinion is in cranking position, and springs 46 retain the detents 42 in locking position until the barrel is rotated at sufficiently high speed so that the detents move outwardly by centrifugal force.

An abutment and reset member in the form of a bracket 4'! is mounted on the motor frame in position to engage the ring I6 and limit the travel of the barrel I in the direction to demesh the pinion.

In the operation of this device, starting with the parts in the positions illustrated in Fig. 1, manual actuation of the lever ill in a clockwise direction causes the threaded sleeve 3 to move to the left, carrying with it the clutch member I9, barrel I, pinion 5, and associated parts by virtue of the frictional engagement of the parts including the detents 42 bearing on the periphery of the stop and clutch member 23. The pinion is thus caused to mesh with the engine gear 6, and after the meshing movement has been nearly completed, the starting switch 39 is closed by link 4|, whereupon the starting motor I is energized and rotates the power shaft 2 in the direction of the arrow. The rotation of the threaded sleeve 3 splined on the power shaft causes the clutch member I9 which is threaded thereon to advance to the left, forcing the detents 42 over the inclined surface of the shoulder 43 on clutch member 23 and causing the detents to engage in operative position, as illustrated in Fig. 2. At the same time, the clutch elements 9, I9 and 23 are wedged together by the longitudinal component of the torque transmitted through the clutch member I9 whereby a frictional driving connection is established between the threaded sleeve 3 and the barrel I, and the pinion 5 is rotated to crank the engine.

When the engine starts, the rapid acceleration of the pinion 5 by the engine gear causes the barrel with the clutch member 9 to overrun the threaded shaft 3 whereby the clutch member I9 backs away as permitted by the lost motion I8 of ring I3 in the barrel, and thus allows the barrel to overrun freely. If the engine fails to run after the first few explosions thereof, the detents 42 continue to lock the barrel in extended position, holding the pinion 5 meshed, and when the effect of the false start of the engine has been dissipated, the starting motor will pick up and reclose the friction clutch and resume the cranking operation until a true start is obtained. When the engine becomes truly self-operative, the pinion 5 and barrel 1 are accelerated sufficiently to cause the detents 42 to move outward by centrifugal force, whereupon the barrel I is permitted to move to the right and demesh the pinion by virtue of the spring 2'! and the overrunning of the clutch member I9 on the sleeve 3, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

When the pinion is so automatically demeshed, the movement of the barrel and its associated parts is arrested by the clutch member I9 engaging the stop ring 40. The clutch member 9 then slips on clutch member I9, permitting rotation of the barrel and associated parts until their momentum is dissipated. Rebounding of the pinion toward meshing position is thus effectively prevented.

When the operator permits the lever 3I to rotate counter-clockwise to its idle position, the sleeve 3 threads itself backward through the clutch element I9, longitudinal movement of the barrel I and its associated parts being prevented by the engagement of the ring I 6 with the bracket 47. The starting switch 39 is at the same time permitted to open, and the parts thereupon resume their idle positions as illustrated in Fig, 1.

If, when the lever 3I is operated to initiate the starting operation, a tooth of the pinion 5 should engage end to end with a tooth of the engine gear 6, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the longitudinal movement of the pinion, barrel and associated parts is arrested. However, the longitudinal movement of the threaded sleeve 3 through the clutch element I9 causes the latter to be rotated slight- 1y, thus indexing the pinion into proper meshing relation, the rotation of the clutch member I9 being transmitted to the clutch member 9 initially by virtue of the light frictional engagement therebetween established by the spring 21 and thereafter by the pressure built up by the arresting of the longitudinal movement of the pinion. When the pinion 5 has been indexed, it is then moved longitudinally into mesh. Thereafter the starting switch 39 closes and the starting operation proceeds as hereinbefore described.

Although but one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that various other embodiments, are possible and various changes may be made in the arrangements and proportions of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In a starter drive a power shaft, a threaded sleeve splined thereon, a nut threaded on the sleeve, a member adapted to engage and drive a member of the engine to be started, means for sliding the sleeve longitudinally on the shaft, connections for transmitting longitudinal and rotary movement from the nut to the driving member to cause it to engage and drive the engine member, and speed-controlled means for preventing movement of the driving member with respect to said sleeve.

2. In a starter drive a power shaft, a threaded sleeve splined thereon, a nut threaded on the sleeve, a member adapted to engage and drive a 'member of the engine tobe started, means for sliding the sleeve longitudinally on the shaft, connections for transmitting longitudinal and rotary mbvement from the nut to the driving member to cause it to engage and drive the engine member, speed-controlled means for locking the driving member in operative position, means for returning the driving member to idle position when released by the self-operation of the engine, and means independent of said sleeve for defining'the idle position of the driving member.

3. In a starter drive a power shaft, a threaded sleeve splined thereon, a nut threaded on the sleeve, a member adapted to engage and drive a member of the engine to be started, means for transmitting longitudinal movement from the nut to the driving member, yielding means for maintaining a frictional connection between the nut and driving member, means for tightening said connection when the driving member is in operative position, and speed-responsive means for preventing movement of the driving member with respect to said sleeve.

4. In combination, a starting motor, gearing for connection said motor to an engine to be started including a pinion adapted to engage and drive a member such as a flywheel gear of said engine, manually operable means for moving the pinion into operative position including a pair of elements having an inclined connection for indexing the pinion into meshing relation in case of tooth abutment with the engine gear, means for thereafter energizing the starting motor, means including a self-tightening clutch for transmitting torque from the starting motor to the pinion, and speed-controlled means for holding the pinion in mesh with the engine gear irrespective of reversals of torque through the inclined connection.

5. Starter gearing for internal combustion engines including a power shaft, a threaded sleeve splined thereon, a transmission member threaded on the sleeve, a pinion adapted to engage and drive a member of the engine to be started, means for transmitting longitudinal and rotary movement from the transmission member to the pinion including a stop member on the sleeve and a clutch member rigidly connected to the pinion adapted tobe moved longitudinally by the transmission member to move the pinion into operative position and thereafter to be wedged by said transmission member against the stop member and thereby clutched to the sleeve, means for automatically demeshing the pinion when it overruns the sleeve, and speed-controlled means rotatable with the pinion engaging the stop member to prevent such demeshing of the pinion below a predetermined speed.

6. In engine starter gearing a pinion, an engine gear, means including an overrunning clutch connection for rotating the pinion, manually operable means for meshing the pinion with the gear, speed controlled means for locking the pinion in meshed position, and means for automatically demeshing the pinion when the engine starts.

7. In engine starter gearing a pinion, an engine gear, means including a self-tightening friction clutch connection for rotating the pinion, manually operable means for meshing the pinion with the gear, and means operative in case of actuation of the manual means to mesh the pinion while the engine is self-operative, to disengage said friction clutch and permit the pinion to overrun the sleeve, said means also serving to return the pinion to idle position.

8. In engine starter gearing a pinion, an engine gear, means including an overrunning clutch connection for rotating the pinion, manually operable means for meshing the pinion with the gear including provisions for tightening the overrunning clutch by final longitudinal movement of the pinion, and means for automatically demeshing the pinion when the engine starts.

9. In engine starter gearing a pinion, an engine gear, means including an overrunning clutch connection for rotating the pinion, manually operable means for meshing the pinion with the gear including provisions for tightening the overrunning clutch by final longitudinal movement of the pinion, means for automatically demeshing the pinion when the engine starts, and means for preventing rebounding of the pinion toward the engine gear.

10. In starter gearing for internal combustion engines a pinion adapted to engage and drive a member such as a gear of an engine to be started, a barrel fixed to the pinion, a longitudinally movable sleeve in telescoping relation to said barrel, an overrunning clutch connection between the sleeve and barrel, and a detent yieldingly transmitting longitudinal movement of the sleeve to the barrel.

11. In starter gearing for internal combustion engines a pinion adapted to engage and drive a member such as a gear of an engine to be started, a barrel fixed to the pinion, a longitudinally movable sleeve in telescoping relation to said barrel, an overrunning clutch connection between the sleeve and barrel, a detent yieldingly transmitting longitudinal movement of the sleeve to the barrel, and means on said sleeve cooperating with said detent to lock the barrel in extended relation with respect to the sleeve.

12. In a starting device for internal combustion engines a motor, a pinion, an engine gear, manually operable means for moving the pinion longitudinally into mesh with the engine gear, means responsive to energization of the starting motor for causing further longitudinal movement of the pinion and thereby establishing a driving connection between the motor and the pinion, and means rendered operative concomitantly with the establishment of the driving connection for holding the pinion in engagement with the engine gear.

13. In a starting device for internal combustion engines a motor, a pinion, an engine gear, manually operable means for moving the pinion longitudinally into mesh with the engine gear, means for causing further longitudinal movement of the pinion and thereby establishing an overrunning driving connection between the motor and the pinion, means for automatically demeshing the pinion when the engine starts, and speed-responsive means moved to operative position by the final meshing movement of the pinion for holding the pinion in engagement with the engine gear until the pinion is rotated at a predetermined speed.

MAURICE P. WHITNEY. 

